Maidens and Aliens
by kristy267
Summary: [oneshot] What does Cinderella do in her free time? She fights aliens, of course.


**Disclaimer****: I do not own Cinderella, Karen, Falling Skies or Once Upon A Time (because if I did Karen would have died pretty early on in Falling Skies and wouldn't have such a love affair with walls - because, admit it, that's just weird)**

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Cinderella - also known as Ashley Boyd - lives in Storybrooke with her love, Thomas / Sean and their infant daughter. To most, she's a normal girl like any other. She's pretty and kind. But Cinderella has a secret identity she's told no one about - an online identity. Ella likes to spend her free time - when Thomas is away and her daughter is sleeping - playing a computer game entitled _Falling Skies_. It centers around what's left of mankind after aliens have taken over the world. Ella's identity among the game is one Karen Nadler.

Ella, being in control of Karen, likes to make the girl do things Ella normally wouldn't. Such as make snarky comments about another player (Lourdes) and strike up a relationship with fellow soldier Hal Mason. Karen is the opposite of Ella in most ways. While Ella could never imagine surviving in a world where there are aliens, Karen is doing quite well for herself. She's a respected member of the 2nd Mass. and quite the alien slayer. Ella might have formally been a maid, but she isn't wired to do the things Karen does.

xxx

"Ella?" Thomas's voice doesn't fully register with Cinderella, who is far too engrossed in her computer game. The mech's are closing in on Karen and Hal and every move matters now. "There you are," Thomas says as he comes up behind her.

Cinderella gasps as she realizes she and Hal are now trapped. "No!" She exclaims.

Suddenly, her screen goes blank. Ella waits for the words 'Game Over' to flash across her screen. But alas, it does not. The _Falling Skies_ world colors back into focus slowly. Karen's eyes open just slightly as the harnessed kids drag her away. Hal is screaming. Ella presses buttons fiercely, trying to regain control of her player.

"What are you doing?" Thomas asks, his voice a mix between awe and alarm. He's not use to seeing his love this... motivated.

Ella sighs loudly, throwing up her hands. "Dying, apparently!" It's only then that she realizes Thomas is there. Cinderella jumps and stabs at the pause button. "Thomas! How - how long have you been there?"

He smiles. "Long enough."

xxx

Cinderella can't sleep. Her mind won't quit buzzing about_ Falling Skies_. Has her character died? Does her fate end with the skitters? Finally, she slips out of bed and tip toes downstairs. Quickly she switches on her computer and brings the game up.

The game starts with a section of "_Previously on Falling Skies_" and then takes Ella back to where she last had control over Karen. From here, the game shows her a series of events. Karen is now a harnessed kid. The skitters are like parents to them, mothers. Ella shakes her head at this. Of course even her gaming character would be graced with an "evil step mother"

Cinderella is given semi-control over her player after the viewing segment. The rules of the game have changed now that Karen is harnessed. She is no longer a fighter of evil aliens, but a pawn and slave in their plans. Ella has to get to know a whole new Karen now. A Karen who delivers tea to informants with an Overlord at her side and who has the Overload speak through her, and stands by while Tom is tortured.

It isn't until Karen is deharnessed for a spell and found by players Hal and Maggie that Ella realizes the potential this new side of Karen has. Ella decides to have a little fun with the 2nd Mass and fool them. Have them all believe her cured and well and fine. She even has the player toy with young Ben Mason. The poor guy - Ella suspects the guy behind Ben is a poor sap that lives in his mother's basement - just wants to fit in. The glowing spikes make him a freak and it's the aliens fault. Karen doesn't blame the aliens at all and neither does Ella.

Her plan is going great, but Maggie steps up. The girl doesn't buy the act Ella is having Karen sale.

There's a kind of face off followed by this new move Cinderella has Karen do in which she uses a wall to aid her in a flip. After a short fight with Maggie - Ella felt bad for Maggie, Karen had all her alien powers to help her - Ben Mason's voices calls out. Acting on impulse, Ella has Karen throw herself into a wall and fall to the ground.

Karen convinces Ben to run away with her. Even has the poor boy choke out this own brother! Ella enjoyed jumping off a roof as well. She'd never do it, but having Karen do it was just as fun.

After stabbing Ben in the back and completely betraying him - which Ella only felt sightly guilty about - and terrorizing the 2nd Mass some more, Ella decides to call it a night. Her Overload isn't dead, Karen is back with her skitter pals and the 2nd Mass are on their way to Charleston.

It was quite a night and now it was time to catch a few hours of sleep.

Cinderella dragged herself up the stairs. When she made it to her bedroom, however, she found Thomas was awake as well. His laptop was in his lap and his fingers tapped feverishly over the keys. His eyes didn't sway from the screen even as she crawled back into bed.

Around a yawn, her eyes already slipping closed, she felt compelled to ask, "What are you doing, Thomas?"

"Not much. Just leading the 2nd Mass out of the clutches of aliens."

Cinderella's eyes flew open. She rolled over, sat up and took a long look at his game. She gasped when she realized who his player was. "No way! Captain Weaver?!"

Thomas nodded excitedly. "Now that you're out of our way, honey," He leans over and kisses her quickly on the cheek before looking back at the screen. "we're headed for Chucktown come hell or high water!"

Ella, hit with a newly found reason to stay awake, jumped out of bed and ran downstairs. As she waited for the game to load she wondered how she could mess with Thomas's / Weaver's people some more. Perhaps she could find a way to infect Hal and make a grand escape via wall climbing...

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**Author's Note**: I've written this due to the fact that Jessy Schram plays both Cinderella and Karen.

Just for the record, if Ella and Thomas are out of character, it's because I've never seen them on the show myself. I've missed a lot of the first season of Once and therefore haven't seen them on there.

**Thanks For Reading! Reviews Are More Than Welcome :)**


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